Gaming machines which provide players awards in primary or base games are well known. Gaming machines generally require the player to place or make a wager to activate the primary or base game. In many of these gaming machines, the award is based on the player obtaining a winning symbol or symbol combination and on the amount of the wager (e.g., the higher the wager, the higher the award). Generally, symbols or symbol combinations which are less likely to occur usually provide higher awards. In such known gaming machines, the amount of the wager made on the base game by the player may vary.
Secondary or bonus games are also known in gaming machines. The secondary or bonus games usually provide an additional award to the player. Secondary or bonus games usually do not require an additional wager by the player to be activated. Secondary or bonus games are generally activated or triggered upon an occurrence of a designated triggering symbol or triggering symbol combination in the primary or base game. For instance, a bonus symbol occurring on the payline on the third reel of a three reel slot machine may trigger the secondary bonus game. When a secondary or bonus game is triggered, the gaming machine generally indicates this to the player through one or more visual and/or audio output devices, such as the reels, lights, speakers, video screens, etc. Part of the enjoyment and excitement of playing certain gaming machines is the occurrence or triggering of the secondary or bonus game (even before the player knows how much the bonus award will be). In other words, obtaining a bonus event and a bonus award in the bonus event is part of the enjoyment and excitement for players.
Certain secondary or bonus games are activated automatically. Other secondary or bonus games require player activation. Once activated, certain secondary or bonus games play to the end or final bonus award automatically. Other secondary or bonus games require at least some level of player interaction which may vary. In certain secondary or bonus games, the player needs to pick selections in order to obtain an award. In certain secondary or bonus games, the player is required to make one or more decisions, such as whether to risk one amount for a higher amount. From the triggering of these secondary or bonus games to the end of these secondary or bonus games, the player is generally provided indications, instructions and information about the play of these secondary or bonus games. These indications, instructions and information typically inform the player of how and why the player is obtaining or has won any awards in the secondary or bonus game. Gaming machines often include a display device to display how and why the player is obtaining the secondary or bonus award.
In certain gaming systems with community games, a portion of each player's coin-in is contributed to one or more local area jackpots, one or more of which can be won during the next bonus event. Typically, these bonus events are triggered randomly for the entire bank of players and all players who have played a certain amount since the last bonus are able to participate in this bonus event. Once in the bonus event, typically the player who contributed the most to the jackpot has the best odds of winning it. Such a gaming system thus makes community gaming less interesting for low-roller players who often lose out to high-roller players.
There is a continuing need to provide new and different gaming machines and gaming systems as well as new and different ways to provide awards to players including bonus awards. There is also a continuing need to provide new and different linked or related gaming machines. There is also a continuing need to provide community bonus games in which players can act together to jointly obtain higher bonus awards than they might obtain acting alone.